'09 Chevrolet Cobalt SS

Third place: Dirty speed, done dirt cheap.

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A Cobalt SS finished fourth in a five-car comparison in 2005, our last comparo date with that Chevy. Back then, the Dodge SRT4 was based on a Neon, Acura still made the RSX Type-S, and the Cobalt’s supercharged four had a competitive 205 horsepower.

This, however, is a whole new Cobalt SS, and it costs just a few grand more than the old version. We got a taste during our Lightning Lap [“Chain Lightning,” November 2008], when a new 260-hp, direct-injection turbo four explained the Cobalt’s best-in-class lap time. “Must have been a ringer,” whispered office nonbelievers. Guess again: This Cobalt is the real deal. Testimony is provided by its acceleration times, which are only a tick behind the higher-torque Mazdaspeed 3. The 5.5-second 0-to-60-mph time might have been better, but the tires struggle to put down the engine’s power. Had we used the no-lift shift feature built into the Cobalt SS, it would have been quicker than the Mazda through the quarter-mile, but our test procedure requires using the clutch pedal and lifting off the throttle to shift.

Check out the chassis numbers as well: first place in skidpad (an impressive 0.92 g) and second place through the lane change. Whoever was in charge of setting up the Cobalt—we suspect GM’s performance pooh-bah John Heinricy had some input—got it dialed in perfectly. The Cobalt is fun to drive, but it’s also amazingly well composed, and not just for a Cobalt. The steering, brakes, transmission, and suspension are all contenders in this class.

Unfortunately, the Cobalt SS is still, at its roots, a Cobalt. The sedan comes without a wing, thankfully, but otherwise there’s little dress-up from the base car except for some pretty five-spoke wheels and Recaro seats. The interior is well laid out but it’s bland, and the plastics are a testament to GM’s (hopefully) bygone lowest-bidder strategy, and they’re woefully cheap-looking. But considering how much ground Chevy has gained in such a short time with this car, we’re eagerly awaiting the next iteration.